LAST week’s church - St Margaret’s at High Bentham -was a bit easy for any regular reader of this column as it had already been alluded to along with St John’s in Low Bentham, which is now the parish church for the whole of Bentham.

Judith Harrison, Clifford Meehan and Carole Fryer correctly identified the church, with Carole adding that her great grandparents - Edward and Margaret Marklew are buried there.

St Margaret’s was closed permanently in 2014 after initially being closed temporarily and following a public consultation. The church had first been identified as in danger of closure in 2010. It was then sold by the then Anglican Diocese of Bradford - now the Diocese of Leeds - and was given planning permission for conversion into two homes several years ago.

Following the closure of St Margaret’s, worship was transferred to St John the Baptist’s.

In the appeal decision in 2016, which allowed the division of the church into two homes, with the addition of drainage to septic tank, the Government inspector described the Grade two listed church as dating from around 1837, with later, 20th century additions with a prominent, three stage tower. At the time, although disused since 2012, it was in a ‘relatively sound’ condition, and burials were no longer being accepted at the churchyard. The inspector concluded the conversion would have little impact on the appearance of the building and that access to the closed churchyard would be unaffected.

What about this week’s building?Not a church, clearly, but a very interesting, and pleasing, public structure. Suggestions by 8am on Monday to news@cravenherald.co.uk